Random Photos – #3

I’ve decided I like dragons, the Japanese version without the English wings. They are terrifying and cool.

I don’t know what’s up with putting hats on carved figures, but the Santa hat was a bit much. And, “he” doesn’t look too amused either.

I asked this woman for directions in Izumozaki. While being able to understand very little of what she said, she did make it known that she would take me where I wanted to go. So, we walked a long way together. Then, a car pulls up to us on a narrow street. She had apparently sent her brother a message and he came to pick us up. I’m beginning to think that this is not such an unusual thing to happen in this very hospitable country.

Not something seen often in America. This is a humongous statue of “Kannon,” a deity of compassion much beloved in Japan.

Community self-promotion poster seen in Eihei-ji, a center of Zen Buddhism in the world. I guess I can’t blame the town officials for capitalizing on their celebrity temple. And, yes, I do feel it.

Finally, my poor hat. In the space of an hour I left it behind three different times. I had to run back along the road until I spotted it lying there. This was only the second time. I didn’t know about the third time until, after having had my coffee at a nice little place in Eihei-ji, I walked quite a ways to the bus station. I heard shouting behind me. I turned to find a woman from the coffee place running down the street carrying my hat. Out of breath, she smiled happily, bowed, and made her way back to the shop. Will these kindnesses never cease?